Bloomsbury Publishing Plc today announces six month results for the period ended 31 August 2012.
Financial highlights
- Turnover £43.5 million (2011: £42.4 million) +2%
- Profit before taxation and highlighted items* £2.1 million (2011: £3.3 million) -37%
- Profit before taxation £0.9 million (2011: £1.5 million)
- Interim dividend 0.94 pence per share (2011: 0.89 pence) +6%
- Basic earnings per share before highlighted items* 2.20 pence (2011: 3.27 pence)
- Basic earnings per share of 0.87 pence (2011: 1.45 pence)
Note: All the above highlights are stated on a Continuing basis ie they exclude the results of our German subsidiary, Bloomsbury Verlag, which was treated as discontinued in our accounts last year, following its sale in February 2012.
Operating highlights
Further growth in ebook sales
- ebook sales in the six months to 31 August 2012 increased by 89% to £4.5 million (2011: £2.4m)
- New e-reader devices expected to have a positive impact on Q4 ebook sales
Strategic progress in Academic & Professional division
- Academic division now represents 28% of Group continuing sales (2011: 20%)
- Acquisition of Fairchild Books for $6.1 million (£3.8 million)
- Acquisition of Applied Visual Arts Publishing for CHF 2.6 million (£1.7 million)
- Launch of The Churchill Archive, www.churchillarchive.com, with strong demand
Major prize wins and shortlists include:
- Winner Orange Prize for Fiction 2012
- Winner International IMPAC Dublin Award 2012
- 2 shortlists for Man Booker Prize 2012
- Shortlist for Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 2012
Strong list for the second half
- Hugh's Three Good Things - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
- How to Bake - Paul Hollywood
- Hogwarts Library Boxed Set - J. K. Rowling
- Umbrella - Will Self
- The first ever Wisden India Cricketers Almanac 2012
